


the world on its axis

by watermelonp00fs



Series: like diamonds in the sky [2]
Category: Daredevil (TV), The Punisher (TV 2017)
Genre: F/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-21
Updated: 2017-11-21
Packaged: 2019-02-05 02:33:12
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 462
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12785058
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/watermelonp00fs/pseuds/watermelonp00fs
Summary: Inhale. Exhale.“I’m scared, Karen.” Rough. Guttural. He hated how weak he sounded. “I’m gonna forget her voice.” His shoulders sagged from the weight of his guilt.Frank Castle — the man who took a woman to bed and cried to that woman about his dead wife. What a joke. What afuckingjoke.A low hum sounded in the back of Karen’s throat as she stroked the line of his back, gentle and understanding and oh he didnotdeserve her — “I know,” she murmured and kissed his shoulder. “I know.”Inhale. Exhale.





	the world on its axis

**Author's Note:**

> This is sort of a continuation of 'i look for you (in the dark)', though you don't need to read that to know what's going on here. 
> 
> This ship is my drug, through and through.

The first time Frank woke up in cold sweat but found that he wasn’t alone, it was three days after he put Bill Russo through a mirror that reflected all the wrongs he had to put right.

“Frank,” Karen whispered in the purple light of dawn, fingers stroking the damp skin along his forehead. “Frank, it’s okay. I’m here.” 

It wasn’t until Frank’s fingers ached that he noticed his balled fists in the sheets like he was holding on to the remnants of Maria before they crumbled to dust —

_Oh but here are you are, in another woman’s bed._

Frank sat up, sheets sliding down his chest and pooling around his waist. Outside, the rain continued to pour as it had been for hours now, pitter-patter noises in the background. And Frank remembered how he’d driven to Karen’s apartment at two in the morning, and she’d taken him in and he’d kissed her like nothing else mattered —

He buried his face in his hands. “I’m scared, Karen.” Rough. Guttural. He hated how weak he sounded. “I’m gonna forget her voice.” His shoulders sagged from the weight of his guilt. 

Frank Castle — the man who took a woman to bed and cried to that woman about his dead wife. What a joke. What a _fucking_ joke.

A low hum sounded in the back of Karen’s throat as she stroked the line of his back, gentle and understanding and oh he did _not_ deserve her — “I know,” she murmured and kissed his shoulder. “I know.”

Inhale. Exhale.

_pitter-patter, pitter-patter_

“I’m sorry,” Frank said, catching her gaze in the glow of dawn. He wished he could just snap his fingers and make everything okay but real life was too gritty and messy and —“It’s real shitty of me to do this to you, Karen, but I’m not — I’m not ready.”

She didn’t say anything, kept rubbing his back as though to soothe his fears. Frank wasn’t sure what to make of it.

Inhale. Exhale.

_pitter-patter, pitter-patter_

“But I want to make this work, Karen,” he continued quietly. “I want to try.” He was suddenly afraid that she didn’t feel the same because why oh _why_ would anyone in their right mind want to deal with all his baggage —

“Yeah, me too.” Her hold tightened and she leaned into him — or maybe he was the one leaning on her. The lines blurred. “Me too, Frank.”

Relief. And then — a smile. “Okay.” 

And the sun came up, orange-yellow light peeking through the curtains and Frank thought that maybe, just maybe, they could find a little solace in this — _thing_ they had between them, whatever it was. It wasn’t much, but it was as they say, one step at a time. And this — this was a good start.


End file.
